A Different Sort of War
by Sly Severus
Summary: Long after a war ends the wounds remain. When forced to face something so horrific a part of a person's very soul dies. People are left changed. Societies are left in shambles. During this time, people are prone to making bad choices. Horrible things are said and done because the bitter continue to fight. How can such a monstrous event ever truly be over? Written pre-DH.
1. Caught in the Act

It was late and the children sat alone in the Gryffindor Common Room, squabbling in hushed voices. The girl with long brown hair and deep brown eyes had a determined glint in her eyes. Her glint was matched by a petrified glace from the chubby blonde haired boy.

"We have to go," the girl told him in a shrill voice. "She could freeze to death in that shack. Hagrid's not here. There's no one to check on her. She has no heat and she probably hasn't been fed. We can't just leave her there."

"Cassie, there is a blizzard outside," the boy replied, still looking terrified. "We could freeze to death just walking down to the shack. At least she has shelter."

"So we should just leave her there to die?" Cassie demanded. "You know that Headmaster Potter won't do anything for her. Sometimes I think he wants her to die. We can't leave her, Frank. I'm going to take her some blankets and cast a warming spell on the shack. It's not much, but it's the best I can do. Ella is our friend, and I won't leave her alone in this storm. I'm going rather you come with me or not."

Doing nothing to hide her anger, Cassie jumped from the sofa and started up the stairs to retrieve her cloak. How could Frank be so selfish? Ella was their friend and she needed their help. Her life at Hogwarts was horrible; Frank knew that. They couldn't just leave her to freeze and starve. In her opinion, Frank was acting far more like a Slytherin than a Gryffindor. His parents would not be proud of that.

Being careful not to wake her roommates, she grabbed her cloak from the floor and hurried back downstairs. She hated sharing a room. It was so much nicer when she was home, with her own room.

When she returned to the common room, she was surprised to find Frank waiting for her, buried beneath a large coat, a less than attractive hat, and bulgy mittens. She couldn't suppress the smile that was spreading across her face or the relief that was flowing through her veins. The storm seemed less menacing when she realized that she wouldn't have to brave it alone.

"You decided to come?" she asked trying to sound detached, as though it didn't really matter.

The chubby boy shrugged as he replied, "I realized I couldn't leave you or Ella to face the storm alone. I know neither of you would do that to me."

Cassie threw her arms around her friend. She should have known that Frank would never let her down. After all, he was her best friend. They had known each other since they were small children and he had never let her down before.

"Maybe we should stop by the kitchens," Cassie suggested as they climbed through the portrait hole. "I'm sure Ella will be hungry. The headmaster only feeds her enough to keep her alive. I don't understand why he's allowed to treat her like that. The Ministry should do something."

"The Ministry doesn't do anything about anything. I don't know why my father has to work there. It's just a joke," he reminded her as they walked through the deserted halls of Hogwarts castle. "I've always wondered why he treats her so badly, though. You know Harry, Cassie. He's as close to your parents as he is mine. I've known him all my life and, with the exception of Ella, I have never seen him act cruelly towards anyone."

"I don't care what excuse he has," Cassie snapped as they approached the kitchens. "Nothing gives him the right to abuse her like that. I know she's a slave, but he treats the house elves far better than he does her. I think someone should do something about it."

"Please, tell me that you don't want someone to be us," Frank replied with a worried expression.

Annoyance flared inside Cassie. Why didn't Frank realize how much Ella needed help? Did he really not care what happened to her? Before she could chastise him for his selfish attitude, they were interrupted by a small elf wearing neon orange socks on his ears.

"Hello, Dobby," she greeted the elf.

"Hello, Ms. Cassie and Mr. Frank," Dobby replied cheerfully. "Out of bed again? What would you likes Dobby to get you from the kitchens tonight? There is eclairs and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies."

"It's such a cold night, Dobby," she told him. "How about some chicken soup?"

"Yes, miss," Dobby jumped up and down in excitement. "Dobby will make it for you right now, miss." With that said the elf hurried away.

"That elf is so creepy sometimes," Frank muttered. "He's just so…I don't know."

"He's like that because he was abused," Cassie told him, in an exasperated voice. "I heard he used to serve an evil family. Apparently, his master went insane and was killed during the war against Voldemort."

"Who told you that?"

"Jamie Thomas."

"Jamie Thomas hasn't had a fact right yet," Frank muttered. "I think they're going to hold him back. Can you imagine failing your first year at Hogwarts?"

"Mum would kill me," Cassie admitted, "and Dad would be so ashamed."

A few seconds later, Dobby returned with the soup. With a quick thank you, Cassie patted the elf on the head.

With soup in hand, the two young Gryffindors opened the main door to be greeted by howling wind and blowing snow. The snow was already up to their knees and it was still coming down in full force. Clearly, they were not in for a pleasant trip.

"Why don't we just send an owl with blankets and soup?" Frank suggested, glancing nervously at the storm. "We'll never make it the shack in this."

"Well, I'm going to try," Cassie told him stubbornly. "I won't leave her alone in this."

Angrily, she pushed forward into the miserable night. However, she heaved a sigh of relief when she heard Frank's footsteps behind her. As reluctant as he was, he always came through when it mattered.

The storm was fierce. The whipping wind caused their eyes to water and their flesh to pain. Even with both their wands lit, they could see only a few inches in front of them. The rest of the world was buried in white. It was fortunate they were so familiar with the path leading to Ella's shack, just beside the Forbidden Forest. Otherwise, they would have become hopelessly lost.

Simply walking was difficult. Their feet became stuck in the thick snow and it felt as through they were frozen. But despite Frank's incessant whining, Cassie would not give up. She was determined to get to her friend and nothing was going to stop her. Ella had no one else.

When they finally reached the tiny building, they stumbled inside without knocking. The shack consisted of one bare room. Ella was given nothing. She was huddled in the far corner of the room wearing robes that were little more than rags. Her long black hair hung around her shoulders in knots; and traces of grey could be seen in her tangled locks.

As Cassie barged into the freezing cold room, Ella glanced up at her with her black eyes. Instantly, she jumped to her feet and rushed to the children, wrapping them in her arms.

"What on earth are you two doing out here?" she demanded, still holding them tightly. "You're both going to get sick."

"We were worried about you," Cassie told her. "We knew you were here alone and that you wouldn't have food or heat. I wanted to bring you something to eat and some blankets."

"You shouldn't have done this," Ella told her, as she pulled the small girl closer. "You could have become lost in the storm. I would have never forgiven myself if something had happened to you."

Pulling away, Cassie studied the fragile woman in front of her. Again, she wondered how the great Harry Potter could treat another human being this way. All throughout the wizarding world, Harry was known as a good and kind man. How could he have such a reputation when his own slave was near death because of the way he cared for her?

"I couldn't have forgiven myself if something happened to you," she said at last. "I was worried you would freeze to death."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Ella managed a slight smile as she replied, "You're both very sweet to care, but I never want either of you to do something like this again. Your lives are worth far more than mine."

Cassie chose to ignore the comment, mainly because she didn't wish to promise that she wouldn't repeat the evening's escapade. The truth was that she would do it again. As far as she was concerned, Ella's life had great worth and she would go to great lengths to protect it.

She cast a quick warming spell on the soup and then offered it, along with the blankets, to Ella.

"Thank you," Ella replied, excepting the offering. "Now you should both get back to the castle. You should be in your warm beds."

"I was hoping we could stay with you," Cassie told her.

"Sweetie, it's an iceberg in here. I am very grateful for the soup and blankets, but I want you to go back to the heated school."

"But then we'll have to go back through the blizzard," Frank spoke for the first time. "If we stay with you, we can all stay under the blankets. Cassie and I can cast warming charms. We'll be fine til morning. This way we can help keep you warm and we won't have to face the storm again."

"You shouldn't have been out in the storm in the first place," Ella muttered. "You should be asleep in your warm, safe dorms."

"And then you would have been left here all alone, freezing and starving," Cassie told her. "Frank and I didn't want that. Now will you allow us to spend the remainder of the night with you or are you going to cast us back into the storm?"

"Of course, you may stay," Ella muttered, shaking her head in annoyance. "At least, you're protected from the snow here."

With that said the three of them huddled beneath the blankets. Cassie cuddled close to Ella and she could hear her friend sipping soup as she fell into a sound sleep.

The next morning they were awakened by the sound of the shack's door swinging opened. They all jumped at the sound and glanced towards the door to see the intruder. When they saw the headmaster glaring at them, they knew they were in trouble.

"Well, well," Harry began. "It would appear that we have a problem here. Miss Lupin, Mr. Longbottom, I want you both to report to my office at once. This matter must be dealt with."


	2. Rage

Neville Longbottom sat at his desk in the Ministry, doing the same thing he had done every day for the last nine years. It was something that needed to be done. This was the job he had requested and he was proud to have it. In the end, he knew that he would make a difference.

The war had ended eleven years ago. His son had been born three months after the demise of Voldemort. Frank was now in his first year at Hogwarts. Eleven years later, and Neville still spent his days staring at the faces of Death Eaters.

Glancing at the original list of Voldemort's most destructive and dangerous Death Eaters, he felt sick to his stomach. No matter how much time passed, these people would always sicken him. Bellatrix Lestrange, she had been captured. Rodolphus Lestrange, he had died in custody. Lucius Malfoy had died during the final battle. And Severus Snape had also been captured.

The worst of the worst had been accounted for. None of them would be causing further destruction. But there were still Death Eaters out there who had not been brought to justice; and it was Neville's job to find them. He took his job very seriously and came to work each day with great pride. His life truly honored his parents.

Attempting to plan his next move, he studied the list of suspected and yet to be apprehended Death Eaters. His mind was drawing a blank so he was not at all annoyed when Arthur Weasley entered his office, uninvited, and sat down.

"Good morning, Neville," Arthur greeted him with a strained smile. No one had seen a genuine smile from Arthur Weasley since before the war and after all he had lost, no one could blame him.

"Good morning," Neville replied, sitting the list aside.

"Still trying to find the last of them, eh?" Arthur asked, pointing to the list.

"Yes," he replied with a sigh. "Sometimes I think it will take another decade. And for what? They're getting off easy."

Arthur looked doubtful.

"So what brings you by this morning?" Neville asked, anxious to change the subject. He was in no mood to debate the treatment of Death Eaters. As far as he was concerned, they should have been killed the moment it was clear that they possessed the Dark Mark. There was no room for them in a civilized society.

Arthur shook his head, "Nothing specific. I just haven't seen you for awhile. It seems the remnants of the Order have lost touch. Molly and I haven't seen any of you in so long."

"I guess fighting the most evil wizard who ever lived really held us together," Neville muttered. "We all kind of went our separate ways after that."

"We still need each other," Arthur replied, with a sad look in his eyes.

Instantly, Neville recognized that look. It was the look of a man who had suffered a great loss. He knew the look well; he saw it every time he looked in the mirror. That look had been in his eyes all of his life.

Before Neville could think of any comforting words for his friend, they were interrupted by a large, snowy, white, owl. The owl landed on Neville's desk and began to chew the sleeve of his robes in an attempt to get the man's attention.

"I should leave you," Arthur said, abruptly rising to his feet. "It's clear there are matters that require your attention."

"I'm sorry, Arthur," he replied quickly, "but we really should get together soon. It has been a long time. Luna and I will be in touch."

"That would be great," Arthur told him enthusiastically. "Molly and I will look forward to it."

They said their goodbyes and Neville turned his attention to the persistent and somehow familiar bird. He untied his letter from the owl's outstretched foot and patted it on the head, feeling bad that he had no food to offer it.

Clearly offended, the owl fluttered away. Finally, Neville was alone and he could read his letter in peace.

Turning the envelope over, he gasped as he saw the Hogwarts Crest. The owl was familiar because it belonged to Harry. But why would be getting an official letter from Hogwarts? Had something happened to Frank? Had some of Voldemort's surviving followers attacked the school?

Ripping the envelope opened, he quickly scanned the note:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom

There has been an incident at school regarding your son. There is no need for you to worry; Frank is fine.

However, a potentially dangerous situation has been brought to my attention. I intend to rectify the problem, but I feel that it is my duty to personally inform you of what took place.

If you could both meet me at Hogwarts around noon, it would be greatly appreciated. I apologize for any inconvenience, but this simply cannot wait.

Sincerely

Harry Potter

Headmaster

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Neville read the note three times before finally concluding three things. His son was safe. His son had been involved in a dangerous situation. And his old friend, Harry Potter, was very upset.

Never before had he received a letter from Harry in a professional capacity, and he was surprised by the formality of it. Harry had been his friend for many years. He had expected something friendlier—more personal.

Glancing at the clock on his desk, he realized that he had no further time to contemplate Harry's strange letter. If he and Luna were going to be at Hogwarts by noon, he would need to get moving.

Quickly he scribbled a note explaining that he had been called away from the office. Then he Apparated to the Quibbler in search of his wife. Sometimes she was very difficult to track down and time was of the essence.

Fortunately, Luna was working in her office that day. Her long blonde hair was tied in a ponytail and she was energetically scribbling notes. Soon after leaving school, Luna was made the head writer for the paper. She seemed to have a flare for it. Her father had been very proud.

A dazed smile crossed her face when she realized that she was no longer alone.

"Hello, honey," she said. "I was just finishing some notes about the new Muggle rock band with real vampires. What brings you by?"

"I just got an owl from Harry. Apparently, Frank was involved in some dangerous incident. Harry wants us to meet him at Hogwarts to discuss it."

"How is Harry?"

"He didn't say. Aren't you concerned about our son?"

"He's fine."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I am his mother."

Neville couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed. For the most part, he was used to Luna being calm and dazed about things. He loved her despite her somewhat odd take on life. However, he always became upset when her distanced attitude was directed towards their son.

"Harry wants to see us at twelve," he told her sharply. "Do you want to come with me or not?"

The dazed expression never left her face as she nodded.

Without another word to each other, they Apparated to Hogwarts' gates. Upon arrival they saw two familiar faces, also waiting outside the gate. Although they both looked worse for wear, they were a welcome sight. A wide smile spread across Neville's face when he saw them.

"Remus, Tonks," he greeted them. "This explains a lot."

"Are you accusing our daughter of being a trouble maker?" Remus asked in a playful voice.

"No more than her parents," Neville replied, feeling himself loosen up in the company of his old friends. He realized that Arthur was right, the Order members had lost touch and they really should spend more time together.

He noticed that Tonks hadn't yet spoken. Her expression was bland. She looked tired and her normally wild colored hair was its natural brown. Like many others, Tonks had lost her spark after the war.

Before he could ask her how she was, the gate was opened by Hogwarts' large gamekeeper, Hagrid. The large man greeted the group with a smile and ushered them onto the grounds.

"Hey, Hagrid, you wouldn't happen to know why we're here, would you?" Remus asked casually as the giant escorted them to the castle.

"'onestly, I don't," he replied. "'arry was right upset 'bout what 'appened, but I don't know what it was. The kids er fine."

"Was your owl formal?" Neville asked Remus. "Harry didn't sound like himself at all in ours."

Remus nodded, "Ours was like that too."

"I wouldn't worry," Hagrid told them. "Cassie and Frank don't seem ter be in any 'eal trouble."

Conversation ceased as they walked through the familiar halls of Hogwarts' castle. Neville couldn't help but be reminded of the years he spent within these walls—the good times and the bad.

However, there was little time for reminiscing. Neville quickly found himself standing outside the headmaster's door. Hagrid knocked loudly and then left the group to wait.

Seconds later, Harry flung open the door, but Neville took no time to study his childhood friend. His eyes immediately landed on the woman cowering on the floor by Harry's desk. Hatred etched across his face and he could feel himself shaking with rage.

"What the hell is she doing here?" he snarled, glaring at the trembling woman.


	3. An Unusual Purchase

Tonks' eyes landed on the petrified woman, but she felt none of Neville's fury. Anger may have been justified from her, but it wasn't there. She felt nothing, but pity for the woman in front of her.

When she looked at the woman, she didn't see the monster that had destroyed countless lives. She saw a fragile and broken human being. The poor thing was clearly filthy and exhausted. She was terribly thin and visibly weak. And Tonks knew that she was partially responsible for the woman's current state.

Tonks' thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Mummy," Cassie jumped out of a chair and ran into her mother's arms, tears streaming down her face. "He's going to take her away. She's my friend."

Without a word, Tonks wrapped her daughter in a tight hug. She wanted to say something comforting, but with no grasp of the situation there was very little she could say.

Before speaking, Harry looked from Neville to Cassie. His eyes showed that he did not wish to cause either of them further distress, but it appeared that he had no choice. Sighing, he seemed to conclude that he must proceed as planned.

"I think we all need to sit down and discuss this. I know you are all shocked and I certainly owe you an apology."

Uncertainly, the newcomers piled into the office. The Lupin's took a seat on the sofa, Cassie still sobbing into her mother's chest. The Longbottom's took a seat on either side of their son. Frank refused to speak or look at either of his parents. Harry settled behind his desk.

"Well," Neville growled. "What is she doing near my child? Did she hurt him?"

"Frank has not been hurt, nor has Cassie," Harry assured him.

"But what is she doing here?" Neville persisted.

Harry took a deep breath and began to explain, "She has been here for the last twelve years, since I became Headmaster. When the Ministry sold her, I jumped at the chance to own her. I have always kept her a safe distance from the school. I never believed that students would come into contact with her; however, it would appear that I was wrong. Frank and Cassie seem to have come into contact with her and befriended her. I am truly sorry that my actions have caused your children to meet this creature. The situation will be rectified at once. She will be returned to the Ministry for resale tonight."

"No," Cassie cried, pulling out of her mother's arms. "She's my friend. You can't do that to her."

"Cassie, I don't know what she's been telling you, but this woman is not your friend," Harry told her sternly.

"She's dangerous," Neville added.

"No, she isn't," Tonks interjected. "I know what the Ministry did to people prior to selling them. She is not a threat to anyone."

"They aren't people," Neville muttered.

"I know, Cassie is very upset," Harry turned to Tonks and Remus. "This is Friday. Perhaps if you take her home for the weekend, you can explain to her why the slave must be removed."

"Mummy, please," Cassie cried. "Don't let him do it."

"Cassie, it's all right," came a weak voice from the floor. The woman did not look up as she spoke.

Within seconds, Harry was on his feet. The sound of his hand connecting with the woman's face echoed through the room. It was the only sound that could be heard above Cassie's sobs.

"What did you do that for?" Tonks demanded shrilly. "She was agreeing with you. She was just trying to help my daughter."

"She is a slave. One day she will learn her place."

"I think she is well aware of her place," Tonks snapped. "You force her to sit on the floor, like an animal, and remain silent while discuss her future."

"She is an animal," Neville growled. "She belongs down there. Why are you defending her?"

"Because, despite what you believe, she is not an animal. She is a human being and it is clear that she has not been treated like one in a very long time."

"Please," Harry said, "I don't want this to cause a fight. We have all been friends for years. There is nothing for us to get upset about. She will be gone in the morning and we can all get back to our lives."

"How much is the Ministry paying you for her?" Tonks asked Harry.

"We haven't discussed prices. I told them that I wanted her removed as quickly as possible."

Tonks spared a brief look at her husband, knowing that what she was about to do was insane. She knew that there was a good chance Remus would be furious with her. But she couldn't let this pass. Cassie would be traumatized if her friend was sold, and this was Tonks' chance to start making amends for the torture she had helped to inflict. Her mind was made up. Her eyes locked with her husband's, praying he would understand.

"Would you consider selling her to me, instead?" she asked quietly.

Everyone in the room gasped.

"You can't be serious," Harry stared at her in disbelief.

"I'm very serious."

"Remus, are you willing to let her into your home?" Harry asked.

Looking from the determined eyes of his wife to the desperate eyes of his daughter, Remus must have realized that he had no choice. Refusal would hurt both his wife and daughter deeply.

"Yes," he told Harry.

"Have you all gone insane?" Neville exclaimed, shaking his head. "I'm taking my son home, now, and I'm going to tell him everything I know about that monster. He will be back on Monday; but I promise you, he will have no use for people who offer sympathy to monsters."

With that he practically drug Frank from the room. Luna followed behind them as though nothing out of the ordinary had taken place.

"I will sign her over to you," Harry said, turning back to Remus and Tonks. "No payment is necessary, but I do request that you are careful. You know what she is capable of. Please, wait here while I get the paperwork."

"Thank you, Mummy," Cassie cried, flinging her arms around Tonks.

Hugging her daughter, Tonks' eyes turned to Remus.

"Are you mad?" she asked.

"No," he managed a slight smile. "I'm a bit surprised, but this is probably best for Cassie. You're certain that she's harmless?"

"She's harmless. She can't do any magic. As an extra precaution, if she even thinks about harming someone, she will be overcome with pain. We could beat her to death and she couldn't even fight back. The Ministry made certain that these people were left defenceless."

"Mummy?"

"We're not going to hurt her," Tonks quickly reassured her daughter.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Harry asked as he returned clutching a piece of parchment, interrupting Tonks' chat with her daughter.

"Yes."

"Are you planning to take Cassie home for the weekend? I'm sure she still has a lot of questions."

"I think it would be for the best," Remus told him.

Nodding, Harry unrolled the parchment. He scribbled his signature and handed it to Tonks, looking very uncomfortable.

"Once you sign this, she will legally belong to you. You will also have the ability to cause her great pain simply by wishing it on her."

Neither Remus nor Tonks replied. They hastily signed their names. It was done. They had taken ownership of slave. Despite the reasoning behind it, Tonks still felt slightly ill.

However, there was no time to dwell on her nausea. Briefly, she glanced at the top line of the parchment: Ownership of Bellatrix Lestrange.

Shaking her head, she went to help her aunt to her feet.


	4. Exhaustion

Bella did not look at her niece as the younger woman helped her to her feet. She had been trained never to look at her superiors, which included everyone. Despite what Potter believed, she knew her place. However, she did notice the gentleness in the woman's touch.

They used the Floo Network to get to the Lupin's home. It was the easiest solution, considering that neither Bella nor Cassie could Apparate. Bella didn't have to do anything. The entire time, Tonks kept a hold on her, ensuring that she was able to remain on her feet. Even though, it was clear that Tonks was doing this for her daughter's sake; Bella felt a surge of gratitude towards the niece she never knew.

Seconds later, they stepped into the Lupin's living room, but Bella did not look around. A slave was to keep its eyes downcast at all times and that was what she was. She studied the beige carpet and awaited orders from her new owners.

"What happens now?" she heard Cassie ask.

Her heart sank. That little girl-her niece—had gone to the extreme to protect her. It was clear that Cassie loved her as much as she loved Cassie, but it didn't matter. When Cassie learned the truth, she would hate her. Frank probably already hated her.

"Honey," came Tonks' voice, "I know you want to know what's going on. I know what Harry and Neville said upset you. We're going to explain everything, but we can't do it right now. Your father and I weren't expecting this. We didn't plan to tell you much about this until you were older. Bellatrix will need to be involved, as well, but she's in no condition now. She needs to rest and get some food in her. We'll answer all your questions tomorrow."

"Bellatrix?" Cassie asked uncertainly.

Panic surged through Bella. Surely she would be punished for giving Cassie the name Ella. Lying to a superior could be punished very violently.

"What did she tell you her name was?"

"Ella."

"Her full name is Bellatrix," Tonks said simply. There was not a hint of anger in her voice and no mention of punishment.

"Cassie, why don't you take Bellatrix down the hall to the guest room? Help her get settled in," Remus interrupted. "I'm sure she could use a nap before dinner."

"And get her some clean robes from my closet and towels for her lavatory," Tonks added.

Bella couldn't believe her ears. Her exhaustion had to be catching up with her. She was being given a room, clean robes, and the opportunity to shower. It couldn't be real. It had been years since she had any of those things. Slaves weren't entitled to those things.

"Okay," Cassie agreed.

"And don't question her," Tonks said quickly. "She needs to rest."

"I won't," Cassie replied, as she led Bella down the hall.

Keeping her eyes on the floor, Bella followed behind Cassie. Even after the door was safely closed behind them, she remained silent.

"You can look up," Cassie told her, plopping down on the bed. "It's just me."

"You are my young mistress now, and I suspected you would be angry that I lied about my name."

"Stop being stupid," Cassie snapped. "Sit down, with me, before you fall down."

Bella did as she was told, but kept her eyes on the floor.

"I'm not mad at you," Cassie told her. "I'm glad you're here. I don't care what your name is. You're still my friend. And please, don't ever call me your mistress again."

Finally, she looked up, into the eyes of the young girl who had allowed her to feel human again.

Cassie smiled, "That's better. Now, what should I call you? Do you prefer Ella or Bellatrix?"

"Bella, actually."

"Okay," Cassie replied cheerfully. "So what do you think of your room?"

Finally, Bella allowed herself to take in the room beyond the hardwood floor. It was decorated mainly in blue; the bed and curtains were both blue. The only picture hanging on the wall was of an ocean view. She saw the door for the closet and the door leading to the lavatory.

"It's more than I ever expected to have again."

"There's not much here, right now. We don't have that many overnight guests, which is a good thing because we don't have a guest room anymore. Anyway, I'll help you decorate when you're feeling better," Cassie offered. "But right now, you should sleep. I'll be right back with some towels and Mum's robes, so you can shower when you wake up."

"Thank you, Cassie," she replied, smiling at the small girl.

"You're welcome," Cassie told her as she left the room.

Reluctantly, Bella allowed herself to lie on the bed. A sense of fear almost caused her to move to the floor. She was a slave; she should not have her own bed. However, she could not bring herself to move. It had been so long since she had a bed, the softness was foreign to her. Her body relaxed on top of the smooth covers.

Her eyes had just fallen shut when there was a knock on the door. Assuming it was Cassie returning, she took no action. The bed was so soft and inviting. She couldn't bring herself to leave it.

"Bellatrix, may I come in?"

Tonks! She jumped into the air. Her new mistress was seeking her out.

"Of course, Madame," she called, forcing herself into a sitting position and turning her eyes, once again, to the hardwood floor.

"You should be lying down," her niece told her softly, as she stepped into the room. "It's obvious that you need some sleep. I apologize for interrupting you when you should be resting, but I just returned from St. Mungos. I went to speak with a friend. She's a Healer and she has agreed to look at you. You've been through a lot and I want to make sure that you are all right. She's coming by in a half hour, if that's all right with you, of course."

"Yes," Bella replied quickly. "Thank you for your concern, Madame."

"Cassie didn't bring you robes or towels," Tonks commented. "I'll run and grab you some, in case you would like to shower before Connie gets here."

"I have them," Cassie said, as she entered the room. "Why is Connie coming over?"

"To give Bellatrix a check-up," Tonks told her. "Now, let's let her get some rest."

With that Cassie sat the towels and robes on a chair by the window for her aunt. She was then ushered from the room by her mother and Bella was alone once again.

Longingly, Bella looked at the bed. More than anything, she wanted to return to its soft embrace. She wanted sleep. But sleep was not an option for her, it usually wasn't. The Healer would be there soon and the least she could do was clean herself up.

Glancing at the robes Cassie had left for her, she grinned. They were black. All of her life, Bella had favored black robes. Cassie did know her well.

Forcing herself to stand, she felt wobbly, but ignored it. She had served Potter feeling much weaker and his assignments were never easy. All she had to do was take a shower. She could manage.

Slowly, she started towards the lavatory. Dizziness hit her, but she ignored that as well. Her whole life had been a giant lesson on how to ignore warning signs from her body. She had served under the Dark Lord. She had always been strong. She would not give into weakness—not ever.

Within moments, she had stripped out of the filthy and torn robes that she had been forced to wear for the last twelve years of her life. She took a comb to her hair, but found that it was useless. Without magic, nothing could be done to salvage her brittle mass of hair. It was sad; she could remember a time when her thick curls had been her favorite feature.

Shaking away thoughts of her youth, she climbed into the shower. The water was warm. With the exception of Cassie and Frank, she couldn't remember the last time she had had warmth in her life.

The water felt good beating on her back. Closing her eyes, she tried to take in this precious moment of normalcy. For the first time in twelve years, she felt normal. Never in her life had she imagined that a day would come where a shower would mean so much to her.

For a long time, she just stood there. Steam filled the room and she inhaled it deeply. Her muscles relaxed in the warmth. A part of her wished that she could stay there forever. It seemed so safe.

But that was ridiculous. She couldn't hide from her fate; and she certainly couldn't hide in her niece's shower. With a deep sigh, she stepped away from the comfort and warmth of the water.

Once away from the soothing shower, her fatigue returned. Again, she was hit with a strong desire to sleep. Quickly, she dried herself and dressed in Tonks' robes. The robes were loose, but otherwise fit well. She left the lavatory, hoping to lie down before the Healer arrived.

However, when she returned to the bedroom, she jumped upon discovering a young blonde woman sitting on her bed. Remembering her place, she regained her composure quickly and turned her eyes to the floor.

"I didn't mean to scare you," the girl told her, as she rose from the bed. "I'm Connie. Tonks' asked me to make sure you are all right."

Bella nodded slightly to indicate that she understood.

"Why don't you lie down?" Connie told her. "Tonks has given me the basics of your previous living conditions. It will give me a good idea of what to look for."

Obediently, Bella lay on the bed. The Healer seemed able to detect her unease and did not attempt to pursue any form of conversation. For that, Bella was grateful.

Closing her eyes, Bella waited for the Healer to finish with her. The exam seemed to take forever. It had been so long since Bella had been examined that she couldn't remember if this was normal or not. However, she was anxious for the woman to finish so she could be alone again. Her body was screaming for sleep and it was becoming difficult to ignore.

"Well Bellatrix," the Healer said at last, "considering the conditions you have been exposed to, you are in good health. Clearly, you're malnourished and exhausted, but that was expected. Beyond that you're fine. Just rest, eat well, and you should be feeling like yourself in no time. You are very fortunate that your health has not suffered significantly. You are also very fortunate that Tonks got you out of your previous living conditions."

"Yes, Madame," Bella agreed.

"Take care of yourself," Connie told her as she left the room.

Bella did not even hear the door close. Within seconds, she fell into a deep sleep.

AN: Updates will resume when my computer is fixed. Hopefully less than a week.


	5. Eye Contact

Glad to hear that Bella would be fine, Tonks said goodbye to Connie and went to join her husband and daughter, who were in the kitchen attempting to make dinner. She smiled as she watched her little family, knowing that she was lucky to have them.

Although, she enjoyed watched her husband and daughter together, she couldn't help but pick up on Remus' unease. She knew he was upset, or at least, concerned about her choice to bring Bellatrix into their lives. If only she could explain it to him, but there were no words that could describe it. Remus had never seen it. He had no idea what Bellatrix had been through, but she did. The thought of it made her feel ill.

Looking away from the counter, Remus met her eyes. An odd look crossed his face—a look that she couldn't read.

"Are you all right?" he asked her. "Do you want to help us?"

Forcing a smile, she nodded and joined her family at the counter. That was where she belonged. She loved being part of a close knit family again. There were still days when she missed her own parents.

A short time later the stew was prepared and it was time to eat. Preparations had been considered successful because Tonks had only broken three dishes and they were easily repaired. She was thrilled that her daughter had not inherited that trait from her.

"Can I go get Bella?" Cassie asked.

"I'll go," Tonks told her. "Why don't you help your dad set the table?"

A look of disappointment crossed Cassie's face, but she did not pressure the issue. Sulkily, she wandered over the cupboard to retrieve the silverware.

"Did she ask you to call her Bella?" Tonks questioned.

"Yeah, I asked her which name she preferred."

Nodding, Tonks started down the hall towards her aunt's room. Dread spread through her as she approached the room. She had no idea how to handle Bellatrix—Bella.

Briefly, she paused outside the door. After taking a deep breath, she knocked softly on the door and called, "Bella?"

There was no response.

"Bella," she called again, "are you awake?"

Still no response.

Reluctantly, Tonks pushed open the door and stepped into the room. Her eyes landed on the bed where Bella was sound asleep. She was uncertain of what to do next. It was clear that Bella needed her rest, but she also felt that it was important for Bella to join the family for dinner. For one, she needed to eat. But she also knew that the sooner Bella felt comfortable in her new home the better it would be for her. She needed to realize that she was in no danger in the Lupin's home.

"Bella," she said softly.

To her surprise, it was enough to wake the sleeping woman. Her eyes opened and she immediately looked away from Tonks.

"Dinner is ready," Tonks told her. "Do you feel up to joining us?"

"Yes, Madame," Bella said quickly. "I will serve dinner."

Shaking her head, Tonks sat on the edge of the bed.

"I don't want you to serve dinner," she said in a soothing voice. "I want you to join us for dinner. You shouldn't feel like a slave here. I want you to think of this as your home. After all, you are family."

"T—thank you, Madame," Bella stammered.

Tonks giggled, "And you certainly don't need to call me Madame. Tonks is fine."

Bella nodded quickly.

Running her fingers through her aunt's hair, Tonks sighed, "I guess the brush wouldn't go through, huh?"

"No."

"I can fix it for you, if you like," she offered.

"Thank you," she paused and then added, "Tonks."

Smiling, Tonks retrieved her wand. After a quick incantation, Bella's hair was straight and shiny. She smiled again as she watched her aunt run her fingers through the now soft and silky hair.

"Much better," Tonks told her cheerfully.

Bella still refused to meet her eyes and it appeared that she was waiting for further instructions. Wanting Bella to feel secure as soon as possible, Tonks decided to take a direct approach.

"Why won't you look at me?" she asked.

"I'm not supposed to look at my superiors."

"I am not your superior," Tonks told her firmly. "I am your niece. We're family. I don't want to hurt you. Please, you don't have to think of yourself as a slave in my house; no one else here thinks of you that way."

Bella said nothing. Clearly, she was still uncomfortable with the idea of being treated like a human being. Hardly surprising, considering it had been so long since anyone had treated her that way.

"Please, look at me. I promise, you won't be punished for it. You won't be punished here, at all."

Slowly, Bella raised her head, although it was obvious that she was reluctant to do so. She trembled, ever so slightly, as she looked up.

Their eyes met and Tonks gasped. Her mind was flooded with memories of the last time she looked into those terrified black eyes, pleading for mercy.

Twelve years ago, she had been rushing around her parents' home, trying to be on time for work. It was her first day back after her mother's death. Having lost her father two years earlier, Tonks was officially parentless.

Her mother's death had hit her hard. Apparently, her mother had been ill for a long time, but she had chosen not to share this information with her daughter. Her mother's death had been a complete shock, which was made worse because it came so shortly after the demise of Voldemort and the end of the war. Tonks had just been starting to believe that things could be normal again when she learned that normalcy was truly a thing of the past.

Truthfully, she was not at all ready to return to work. Her mind was scattered and she was still haunted by memories of her lost childhood. However, she had no choice but to return. The Ministry was swamped, trying to clean up after the war and bring the surviving Death Eaters to justice. She was told to return to work immediately or not at all.

She was just about to Apparate to the Ministry when there was a loud knock at the front door. Sighing loudly, she hurried off to see her unexpected visitor, who was about to make her late for work.

Flinging the door open, she was surprised to see the sullen face of her partner, Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "We're supposed to be at the office."

"I don't think you should go back today," he told her, a stern expression on his face.

"I don't have much choice in the matter," she told him, in what she hoped was a cheerful voice. "Unless you're interested in getting a new partner that is."

"Of course, I don't want a new partner, but today is going to be rough. We have been assigned to oversee the training of the captured Death Eaters."

"I don't get it," she crunched up her face in confusion. "That sounds like an easy assignment. All we have to do is stand there."

"I had to go once before," he told her. "You have no idea what it's like. It's painful to watch. What they do to those people is despicable. They would have been better off in Azkaban."

"Why exactly weren't they sent to Azkaban? I heard about the plan, but never had a chance to question it. Selling them as slaves seems rather high risk, even if they are stripped of their magical abilities."

"The official reason the Ministry didn't send them to Azkaban is because the prison is becoming overcrowded. The real reason is that they don't want to pay to keep them locked up. This way the Death Eaters are making the Ministry money."

"Charming, as always," Tonks muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"But they are definitely no threat," Kingsley continued. "By the time training is complete, they are terrified to move without permission. Their ability to do magic is gone. The moment the ownership papers are signed, their owner is granted the ability to inflict immense pain on them simply by thinking it. When they leave the Ministry they really are sub-human."

Unable to think of an appropriate response, Tonks simply stared at him.

"Are you sure you can handle watching that process?" he asked her after a moment of silence. "You're still mourning. You shouldn't be forced to watch the dehumanization of Voldemort's followers."

Tonks shrugged as she replied, "I can't hide from the world forever, even if the world has become a disturbing place."

Before Kingsley could argue further, the grandfather clock in the dining room began to chime. They were both officially late.

"We need to go," she told him.

"If you're sure," he replied with a nod.

Seconds later, two loud pops could be heard and they disappeared from sight.

They reappeared in the Auror Department of the Ministry. The halls were filled with flustered looking Ministry employees. None of the friendly chatter Tonks remembered was present. The only voices that could be heard were gruff and barking orders.

"Everyone is a little overworked," Kingsley told her as though it was an explanation.

"Shacklebolt, Tonks," growled an angry male voice, "you're late. The prisoners have been secured and the Healers are waiting on you. Four prisoners are being tested and trained today: the Lestranges, Nott, and Crabbe."

Tonks had no idea who the grizzly man was. However, she was confident that he was not their superior and she did not appreciate being chastised by him. Before she could tell him what she thought, Kingsley spoke.

"Yes, sir."

"Mr. Shacklebolt, you have been through this procedure before; I presume you will be able to walk your partner through it."

"Yes, sir."

"Good," he replied quickly, and then turned his attention to Tonks. "There isn't much to it, Ms. Tonks. Mostly, you'll stand around. You're just here to make sure the Death Eaters don't escape prior to the completion of training. There hasn't been an escape attempt yet. You should be in for an easy day."

Although she had only registered a quarter of what he had said, Tonks nodded.

Gently, Kingsley took her arm and led her down the hall. His eyes had glazed over, but still sparkled with hatred. Neither of them spoke until they were a safe distance away from the strange man.

"Yes, Tonks," Kingsley muttered bitterly, "you're in for an easy day. That is if you're a heartless monster and watching hours of torture doesn't bother you."

"Who was that man?"

"He goes by Fitz. He used to be one of the head Healers at St. Mungos, but he was having some problems. The main one being that he hates the living. He had no bedside manner and the patients hated him, so he went into research. He created the potion that is used to identify those who have a Dark Mark. In short, he's an evil genius and the Ministry is allowing him to run the training of the Death Eaters."

Kingsley stopped several feet away from a large glass window; he studied her for a moment before he spoke again, "It's not too late. You can still go home. I'll make up an excuse for you."

"Kingsley, I'll be fine," she told him impatiently as she approached the window.

Peering through the window, she saw nothing unexpected. The four Death Eaters sat in the center of the room, chained to metal chairs, their forearms bare, ready for the test. Lurking behind the prisoners, clutching vials of potion were two middle aged men, one dark haired and the other balding. Tonks assumed they were the Healers performing the training. Nothing in the room seemed overly foreboding. She wondered why Kingsley was so worried about her witnessing the procedure.

Her eyes were drawn to the unkempt woman seated closest to the window—her aunt. Tonks was the reason she was chained to the chair. She had been the one to capture the notorious Bellatrix Lestrange. It had been the highlight of her career and she had been proud of herself, despite the fact that it had hurt her mother deeply to know what would become of her elder sister.

A strong hand clamped onto her shoulder and she jumped into the air.

"I didn't mean to scare you," Kingsley told her. "What were you so engrossed in?"

"Nothing," she replied quickly, not wishing to discuss her mother or her aunt.

He stared at her with concern, but said nothing further. Her gaze returned to the window, but she refused to look at the woman again.

The balding Healer saw them in the window and nodded curtly. It was time for the procedure to begin. He stepped towards Bellatrix clutching the vial.

"He'll put a few drops of the potion on her forearm and it will reveal the Dark Mark," Kingsley informed her.

Briefly, Tonks wondered how such a potion could work; she had never understood potions particularly well. However, her musings were cut short when the liquid touched the woman's skin. Bellatrix's arm turned bright red and the Mark appeared etched into her skin. A howl escaped the woman's lips, her face a mask of pain.

Again, Tonks felt Kingsley's arm resting on her shoulders. However, this time, it was most welcome. His simple gesture prevented her from fleeing in terror.

"They say it's a thousand times more painful than the Cruciatus Curse," he whispered.

As the Healer moved on, Tonks did not take her eyes off Bellatrix. Her aunt was still screaming, tears streaming down her face. For the first time, Tonks' pride in capturing the woman wavered.

The process was completed quickly. Before long the Dark Mark was revealed on each man's arm as well, and they too had screamed in agony. Tonks was learning why Kingsley hadn't wanted her to witness this.

"They'll start the training now," her friend whispered, still clutching her shoulders. "It's done two at a time. This part of the procedure is very hard on the prisoners; it is much more painful than the test. People have died during this process."

Taking a deep breath, Tonks tried to prepare herself. She knew the Death Eaters had done terrible things. They were responsible for countless deaths. But she could not condone what was being done to them. No one deserved that kind of abuse.

The Healers released Bellatrix and Rodolphus from their chains and forced them to the floor. It was clear that they were both in too much pain to fight back. The presence of Aurors seemed rather redundant.

"I can handle this," Kingsley told her. "You don't have to watch."

She ignored him. Although, she wanted to leave, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She had caused this. Bellatrix was in this pain because of her. She had to see the damage that she inflicted.

The Healers drew their wands and began to curse the Death Eaters. Surely their cries could be heard on the next block. Tonks watched as her aunt grabbed her husband's hand and withered in pain.

"Why are they torturing them like that?" she cried.

"To wear down their resistance," Kingsley explained. "When the Healers tire of torturing them, they will be given a potion that will allow their masters to cause them immense pain, simply by wishing it on them, and another that will destroy their magical abilities, both courtesy of Fitz. The procedure ends with more torture."

Tonks could feel tears welling in her eyes as she watched. How could she be responsible for this? She had an urge to run in the room and scream for them to stop. But she remained still, like a good little Auror, watching their bodies flail in pain. It was almost unbearable. Then all the sudden, Rodolphus' body went still.

For a few moments, the Healers did not realize that anything had changed. They continued to curse his lifeless body.

Bellatrix was the first to realize that something had happened to her husband. She looked up and began to scream in pain—an emotion pain. It was the scream of someone who had lost something truly precious.

"No, he's gone," she bawled. "Stop, please, stop. Leave him alone."

The Healers did stop. The dark haired one restrained Bellatrix, while the bald headed one took Rodolphus' pulse. Neither showed any interest one way or another. It would be painfully obvious to Bellatrix that they didn't care if her husband was dead.

Tonks watched intently as the two Healers talked amongst themselves. Their gestures and facial expressions made it clear that Rodolphus was gone. Struggling with the younger Healer, Bellatrix tried to get to her husband.

The Healer grabbed Bellatrix by her hair, attempting to restrain her. Her neck snapped back and her eyes flew towards the window, locking with her niece's.

An anguished cry escaped from Tonks' lips as she stared into the black eyes. Never before had she seen such fear or pain. Breaking eye contact with her aunt, she fled from the Ministry. She could bear no more.

When Tonks' mind returned to the present time, she found her aunt huddled into a ball sobbing. Between violent sobs, she kept repeating that she was sorry.

"Shh," Tonks whispered soothingly, as she reached out and pulled her aunt into her arms. "What's wrong? Why are you apologizing?"

"I—I have upset you," she stammered. "I k—know I must be punished."

"I already told you, you won't be punished here," Tonks replied, pulling her closer. "Besides, you didn't upset me; I upset myself. Looking into your eyes again reminded me of the day you were trained. It brought back the guilt I felt, knowing that I put you there."

"I—I won't look at you again. I'm so sorry."

"I want you to look at me. I want you to feel comfortable with me. I'm sorry that I scared you. It won't happen again."

Bella said nothing.

"Please, look at me," Tonks insisted, knowing that she was pushing it. She was scaring Bella, but there was no other way to get past this. She couldn't let her be afraid to look up.

Slowly, Bella pulled out of her arms. After a few moments, she gazed up at her niece, once again.

This time Tonks was prepared and did not allow herself to be overcome with memories. Smiling warmly at Bella, she took her hand.

"Now, are you ready to join your family for dinner?" Tonks asked her.

Nodding, Bella returned her smile.


	6. Second Chances

After a rather uncomfortable dinner, Remus rose from the table. However, he was well aware that dinner could have been worse; overall, it had been pretty uneventful. Perhaps Bellatrix really could have a place in their family. The question was could he live with that? He needed some time to think about it alone.

He kissed Tonks lightly on the cheek. "Will you be all right here for a couple of hours?" he asked her.

"Of course," she told him, "but where are you going?"

"Just out," he replied, refusing to meet her gaze.

"Are you all right?"

He wanted to scream that he was anything but all right. He wanted to remind her of Sirius. He wanted to throw a hissy fit to end all hissy fits. But he did none of those things. For some reason, his wife and daughter wanted Bellatrix in their lives. He knew that it meant a lot to them, and he didn't have the heart to fight them on it. After all, she seemed so fragile and harmless.

"I'm fine," he assured her. "I just need to go out for awhile."

"Okay," Tonks nodded, but it was obvious that she didn't believe him.

Not knowing how to reassure her, he said nothing more. Instead, he told the others that he was going out, kissed his daughter, and nodded curtly to Bellatrix. With that done, he quickly fled out the front door.

A cold winter wind hit him the moment he stepped outside. His face and hands ached from the coldness, but it was welcome. Winter was familiar; he knew how to handle snow and ice. Bellatrix Lestrange was a very different matter.

Shaking his head, Remus Apparated to the Hog's Head. He needed a stiff drink and some time to think. The Hog's Head was the place for him to go.

Once inside he was greeted by the foul stench of strong alcohol and a feeling of deep despair. He had spent a fair amount of time in this bar after the deaths of James and Lily, and then again after Sirius' death. Nothing ever changed within these walls. It was dark and foreboding, matching his mood perfectly.

Collapsing at his favorite table, near the back of the pub, he waited for his Firewhisky. He no longer had to place an order here. When the barkeep saw him, he knew that something was wrong. He knew exactly what Remus needed. He needed only one thing when he entered this building.

Surely enough, moments later, he received a large glass of Firewhisky and a sympathy smile. The barkeep departed quickly. He had learned long ago that Remus Lupin's misery did not like company.

Remus had left his home in an attempt to come to terms with his new house guest; however, he couldn't even bring himself to think about Bellatrix. He couldn't bring himself to think about anything other than the soothing, burning sensation in his throat caused by the Firewhisky. Halfway through the glass, he was interrupted.

Without invitation, a large man sat down across from him, and called for the barkeep to bring him a Firewhisky as well.

"I would really prefer to be alone, Kingsley," he muttered.

"By the looks of you, that's the last thing you need. You look like you want to drown yourself in that glass. What's wrong, mate?"

"Oh nothing," he muttered bitterly, "except my daughter befriended the woman who killed my best mate, and then my wife decided it would be a good idea to move her into our house. Oh, and apparently, Harry has been torturing her for the last twelve years. But no one else seems to find this situation upsetting, so I guess I'm just being odd."

"Tonks bought Bellatrix?"

"Actually, Harry gave her to us. He was really upset that she had contact with some of the students, so he decided to sell her back to the Ministry. Cassie had a fit and somehow that led to Bellatrix being my permanent house guest."

The two men said nothing as the barkeep dropped off Kingsley's drink. Remus didn't even bother to look up. Manners meant little to him at that moment.

"I'm sorry, mate," Kingsley said once they were alone. "But why didn't you just tell Tonks that you didn't want Bellatrix in your home?"

"I couldn't do that to Cassie. She was so relieved when her mother offered to take Bellatrix. I couldn't devastate my daughter like that. The worst of it is Neville Longbottom's son was in the middle of this too. Neville was there when this happened. He has dedicated his entire life to catching the remaining Death Eaters. He'll never get over the fact that his son befriended the woman who tortured his parents to insanity. He'll never forgive me and Tonks for helping that woman. I'm not sure that I can blame him."

"Is Cassie all right, now?"

"She's thrilled. She loves having Bellatrix around, but tomorrow we have to tell her about the war. We have to explain to her why Harry and Neville hate Bellatrix with such a passion. I have to tell her about Sirius' death. She loves Bellatrix so much; this will crush her. But if she doesn't hear the truth from us, she'll find out from Frank when she goes back to school."

"Would you feel any better about her if I told you that I don't believe she meant to kill Sirius?"

For the first time, Remus looked up. His eyes locked with Kingsley's as though he was trying to determine the truthfulness of his words. Quickly, his eyes returned to the glass.

"That's ridiculous," he muttered. "They were dueling. We were in the middle of a battle. Of course, they were trying to harm each other. She meant to kill him."

"I saw most of their duel. She didn't use a single Unforgivable Curse. Everyone knows that she was very talented with the Unforgivables and didn't hesitate to use them. She didn't use them on her cousin because she didn't wish to cause him real harm. If she wanted Sirius dead, she would have used the Killing Curse and been done with it. I believe, and always have, that Sirius' death was a tragic accident."

"Even if she didn't mean to kill him, and I doubt that was the case, you make her sound like a sadistic monster. That does nothing to ease my concerns about having her in my home—with my family."

Kingsley sighed, "I believe there was a time when Bellatrix had a cruel nature, Remus, but people change. Your daughter sees good in her. But even if Cassie is wrong, Bellatrix is no danger to you or your family. She is helpless, now. If she even thinks of harming anyone, she will find herself in immense pain. It's all part of the training."

"I just don't understand why Tonks would want to bring her into our lives."

Kingsley shifted in his seat and began to stare in his glass.

"What?" Remus demanded quickly.

"I'm not sure that I should tell you. If Tonks hasn't told you herself, she must have her reasons. It's really not my place."

"Come on, Kingsly. I need all the help I can get here. If you have any idea what motivated Tonks to bring that woman into our home, you need to tell me."

Sighing loudly, Kingsley began to explain, "Tonks was the one to arrest Bellatrix. When all the other Aurors failed to find her, on a whim, Tonks found her. The first day Tonks came back to work after her mother died, we were assigned to oversee the training of the Death Eaters. I can't explain to you how horrific that is to watch. I couldn't explain it to her either. I didn't want her to come, but she insisted."

Kingsley looked away again and took a deep breath before continuing, "Tonks watched her aunt's training that day. She saw how horribly Bellatrix was tortured. She watched Rodolphus die. Bellatrix looked into Tonks' eyes when she realized that her husband was gone. That was twelve years ago, and Tonks has never been the same at work. She feels guilty for putting Bellatrix in that position. She has lost her desire to be an Auror."

"Why didn't she tell me any of this?"

"Probably because Bellatrix killed Sirius. Tonks must have known how you felt about Bellatrix. She was probably afraid of losing you. Look how Neville reacted. But today she had to take the chance. She couldn't let Bellatrix continue to suffer."

"Do you honestly believe that Sirius' death was an accident?"

"Yes."

Nodding, Remus rose from the table.

"I need to go home and speak with my wife."

When he Apparated into the living room, he was surprised to find Tonks sitting alone on the couch, nervously pulling at her hair. She jumped to her feet when she saw, knocking the coffee table to its side. Neither of them acknowledged it.

"Is everything all right?" Remus asked, dread seeping through him. "Where's Cassie?"

"She's fine. She and Bellatrix went to bed."

"Then why do you look so worried?"

"I was worried about you. Do you hate me for bringing her here?" She looked at him with petrified eyes as though she could start sobbing at any moment.

"No," he said softly, pulling her into a tight hug, "I could never hate you."

He felt her arms grip his shoulders. The urgency of her grasp told him that she really had been worried. How could she ever think that he would hate her?

"We do need to talk," he told her. "Can we go to bed? I don't want to be interrupted or overheard."

Tonks nodded and they headed down the hall.

Once they were safely shut in their room, Tonks collapsed on their bed, and stared intently at her husband. Her face was still a mask of worry and concern. Remus knew that he had done nothing to reassure her.

"You don't want her here, do you?" she finally asked.

Remus sat down beside her and took her hand before answering, "I didn't. I only agreed to it for Cassie's sake, but I have learned some new information. Perhaps it really is for the best that she's here."

"What did you learn?" Tonks looked curious.

"I ran into Kingsley tonight. He gave me some insight as to why you would want to bring her here."

"He told you about her training?" her eyes dropped.

"Yes. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because of Sirius. I knew you could never forgive her. You still can't. You hate her. I shouldn't have done this." Tears began to stream down her face.

"I don't hate her," he said as he wiped away her tears. "She has done some horrible things, but she has suffered for them. There must be some good in her for Cassie to become so attached. Even Kingsley is willing to give her the benefit of the doubt; he told me that he doesn't believe she meant to kill Sirius."

"Really?"

Remus nodded.

"I hope he's right."

"Me too."

"Are you sure you're okay with her staying here?" Tonks asked. "If you can't do this, we need to end the arrangement quickly. Cassie is getting more attached by the moment. I have already started trying to get Bella to let her guard down. I don't want her to start feeling safe here just to be sent away."

"I want her to stay. No one deserves to be treated the way Harry was treating her. She should have a second chance. Besides, she makes Cassie happy. And hopefully this situation will help you get over some undeserved guilt."

"Thank you, Remus," she told him as she hugged him tightly.

"You know, we're not in the clear yet," he reminded her. "We still have to explain her role as a Death Eater to Cassie."

"She'll understand. She won't stop loving her."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Cassie is like my mum. She sees the world exactly as Mum saw it. Mum never stopped loving Bella; Cassie won't either."

"What about Frank?" Remus asked. "Do you think he'll continue to care about Cassie or Bella?"

"I don't know," Tonks admitted, shaking her head sadly. "He won't have anything to do with either on of them, if Neville gets his way. Did you see the hatred on his face? It was scary. It was almost like being back in the war. I can't believe the amount of anger he and Harry are carrying around."

"I know," he agreed. "They both lost a lot in the war, but it's been twelve years. They should be enjoying their lives. They should be grateful just to have their lives. I wish we could do something to help them."

"I don't think either of them wants help from us, right now. This could end up causing a huge rift in your friendship with Harry, you know."

"It'll be okay. He'll get over it. Besides, he couldn't have been that mad. He did give us Bellatrix."

"I can't believe he spent all those years torturing her. Some day he's going to have to stop mourning. I just wish there was someone who could show him that."

A face popped into Remus' mind. It was the face of a young woman, whom he hadn't seen in many years. She was a woman who would look at the situation logically. She was also trusted by both Harry and Neville.

Remus stayed with Tonks until she fell asleep, then he quietly slipped out to the living room and sent an owl.


	7. Deep Dark Secrets

The next morning Cassie awoke bright and early, anxious to check on Bella. She was also feeling somewhat worried about her parents. Her father had left so abruptly the night before and her mother had acted strange all evening. She hoped they weren't fighting about Bella. She couldn't bear the thought of her friend being sent away to continue living as a slave.

Wasting no time, she jumped out of bed, grabbed a dressing gown and hurried to Bella's room. However, she paused outside the door, wondering if she should wake her friend. The Healer had said that Bella needed to rest.

Cassie wasn't sure how long she stood there, but eventually she was joined by her father.

"Honey, what's wrong?" he asked softly.

"I wanted to see Bella, but I didn't know if I should wake her. Mum told me that the Healer said she needs to rest."

"Maybe we should let her sleep awhile longer," her father told her. "Your mum's still sleeping, too. How about we make breakfast and then wake them up?"

Nodding, Cassie followed her father to the kitchen. As he retrieved ingredients, she paid little attention. Her mind was still filled with worries. She didn't want her parents to be mad at each other. She didn't want to lose Bella.

"What is it, Cassie?" her father asked again, after a few moments. "You usually love cooking. I thought you would be in a good mood this morning. Aren't you happy to have Bellatrix here?"

"Of course, I'm glad she's here. I don't know how she survived so long, the way she was living. I'm just not so sure that you want her here. You ran away so fast after dinner last night."

He squeezed her shoulder and met her eyes before responding, "I had doubts about having her here. A long time ago, she did something that caused me a lot of pain. But everyone deserves a second chance. Besides, having her here makes you and your mum happy. You don't have to worry about me selling her. She has a home here for as long as she wants it."

"What did she do?"

"That's something we're going to talk about when your mum and Bellatrix get up. We promised to answer all your questions today and we will."

Cassie nodded, but remained silent as she watched her father return to preparing breakfast. She felt slightly more confident regarding Bella's safety, but something was still bothering her.

"Daddy?" she asked.

Sitting down the egg he had been about to crack, he returned his attention to his young daughter.

"Yes, honey."

"Why do you call her Bellatrix?"

"That's her name, sweetie."

"But she prefers Bella. Mum calls her Bella."

"Okay," he replied, a smiled spreading across his face, "I'll call her Bella. I'll do whatever I can to make her comfortable here."

"Thank you, Daddy," she cried, wrapping her arms around him. He beamed at her, and soon they were fixing breakfast together.

By the time the meal was prepared, neither her mother nor Bellatrix had arrived. It was unusual for her mother to sleep overly late.

"All right," her dad said, "we can't wait any longer or everything will get cold. Why don't you go see if Bella is awake and I'll check on your mum?"

Cassie hurried down the hall. This time she did not hesitate outside the door. Instead, she barged in, without even knocking. To her surprise, Bella was sitting on her bed, already dressed, looking nervous.

"How come you didn't come out?" Cassie asked her.

"I wasn't sure if I should."

Rolling her eyes, Cassie responded, "You're not a prisoner in this room. You are allowed in the rest of the house, you know."

"A slave is not entitled to just go wandering around, Cassie. I didn't want to upset your parents—especially your dad."

"Dad's okay with you being here. You need to relax. No one here wants to hurt you. There's no reason for you to be afraid of my parents."

Bella nodded, but Cassie could tell that something was still bothering her.

"What's wrong?" she pressed.

"Nothing."

"I know you better than that," Cassie snapped. "You can tell me."

"It's just that your parents promised you that we would answer your questions today—tell you everything."

"So?"

Bella's eyes watered as she spoke, "You're going to hate me when you find out the truth. You've been so kind to me. I can't stand the idea of you looking at me with disgust in your eyes."

"That's never going to happen," Cassie assured her. "I will never hate you."

"I have done horrible things—unforgivable things."

"During the war?" Cassie asked.

Wiping away her tears, Bella nodded.

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad. Nothing is unforgivable."

A smile touched Bella's lips. Cassie had no way of knowing if she truly convinced her friend of her loyalty, but at least she made her smile. It was a good start.

"Let's go to breakfast," she said, after a moment's silence. "Then you can tell me all your deep dark secrets, and I can prove that I will love in spite of them."

Before Bella could reply, there was a light tapping on the door and Cassie's mother poked her head in.

"Are you two coming to eat?" she asked. "You really should. Bella, you haven't had Remus' pancakes before. I swear to you, they are the best I have ever eaten."

"I helped to make them today," Cassie added.

"Then they're bond to be extra good," her mum replied.

"Let's go," Cassie said, gently tugging on Bella's arm.

"Are you feeling okay?" her mum asked Bella, with a concerned expression on her face.

"I'm fine," Bella replied, averting her gaze.

"Then let's eat."

Cassie didn't really enjoy her breakfast. Normally, she loved her dad's pancakes as much as her mum, but that morning she could hardly taste them. It was difficult for her to focus on the trivial conversation they were having over the meal. She was anxious to get some answers. She wanted to know what they were all so afraid to tell her.

Finally, the meal ended and they moved into the living room. Cassie seated herself on the sofa between her mum and Bella. Her dad sat across from them in the cushy chair. There was nothing formal about the seating arrangement, but Cassie could sense something formal in the air.

Her father spoke first, "Cassie, we have never told you much about the war. We wanted to wait until you were older, hoping you would understand better. However, that is no longer possible. When you go back to school on Monday, Frank will have all the facts. Your mother and I feel that you need to know all the facts, as well."

Anxious to hear more, Cassie simply nodded.

"I think the best place to start is with my mother and her family," Cassie's mum continued. "She had two sisters, Bellatrix and Narcissa."

Cassie's head jerked towards Bella. Had she heard properly?

"You're my aunt?" she demanded excitedly. "We're related?"

"Yes," she replied, with a slight grin.

"Can I call you Aunt Bella?"

"Of course, you can," Bella told her, looking as though she was about to cry. "I would love that. I would be honored."

"Do you want to tell her about the early days of the war?" Cassie's mum asked Bella softly. "You know what happened better than I do. You were there."

Bella nodded.

"How much do you know about the purebloods involved in the war?" she asked Cassie.

The young girl shrugged as she responded, "I know that Voldemort wanted to create a superior race, kill all the Muggles and Muggle-borns. Most of his followers were purebloods."

Cringing at the sound of her old master's name, Bella looked down. She did not respond when Cassie finished speaking.

"Did I say something wrong?" Cassie finally asked, looking to her newfound aunt with concern.

"No, sweetie," Bella told her quickly. "It's just that name. I was never allowed to use that name. During the war very few people were brave enough to utter it."

"What did you call him?"

"I called him the Dark Lord," Bella admitted, looking down, "because I was one of his followers—a Death Eater."

"I know," Cassie told her, taking her hand. "It's not that hard to figure out. The Death Eaters are the only people that the Ministry has ever enslaved."

"How did you know that?" her mother asked in surprise.

"Library," Cassie told her with a shrug. "I've known for months."

For a few moments, the room was filled with an awkward silence. Finally, Cassie felt obligated to say something. She didn't want them to spend the rest of their lives sitting and staring.

"Please, finish your story, Aunt Bella. I've always wanted to know why you became a Death Eater, but I was afraid to ask. I didn't want to upset you."

Taking a deep breath, Bella continued, "I grew up in a family that believed strongly in pureblood supremacy. As soon as we were old enough to understand, our parents taught my sisters and me that we were better than everyone else. I don't know why, but I always believed them. Maybe I liked the idea of being superior. Maybe I was simply a child, trusting my parents. Either way, I did what they said, hated who they wanted me to hate, and befriended who they wanted me to befriend. Your grandmother was the opposite of me. She rejected everything our parents taught us. At the time, I hated her for it, but now I'm proud of her."

"Do you still think purebloods are better?" Cassie asked, innocently eyeing her.

Bella made a point of meeting her niece's eyes when she replied, "How could I? You are a half-blood and you are one of the most beautiful and talented witches I have ever known."

Smiling, Cassie snuggled closer to her aunt, resting her head on her chest. Bella allowed herself a brief smile.

"But why did you become a Death Eater?" Cassie asked, feeling she had not received a sufficient answer and not wanting to lose her opportunity to find out.

"I did it for a lot of reasons, but none of them were good. The Dark Lord promised his followers rewards beyond our wildest dreams and great power. I wanted those things. I was always drawn to money and power. My parents believed very strongly in what the Dark Lord was doing, but they felt that they were too old to be useful to him. I wanted to make them proud. They were so hurt when your grandmother left the family. My husband was a Death Eater," her voice cracked at the mention of her husband. "He wanted me to join him. I wanted Rodolphus to love me. It seemed that becoming a Death Eater was my destiny."

"What happened to your husband? Where is he now?"

An anguished look crossed Bella's face and Cassie regretted her question. The last thing she wanted was to cause her aunt more pain.

"He's dead," Bella choked on the words. "He died when we were being trained as slaves."

"I'm sorry," Cassie said softly.

Again, silence filled the room. Cassie felt horrible for upsetting Bella and found herself afraid to say anything further.

After composing herself, Bella turned back to her young niece and continued, "What you need to know is what I did as a Death Eater. You need to know why Potter and Longbottom hate me so much; it is not without just reason. I did horrific things. I—" she broke off abruptly, tears streaming down her face.

Looking to the floor, Bella wiped away her tears. It was painful for Cassie to watch; more than anything she wanted to comfort her aunt and tell her it didn't matter. There was nothing Bella could have done to earn the suffering she had been forced to endure.

At last, Bella looked to Cassie's mum, "I'm sorry, I can't tell her. I can't look into her eyes and say the words that will make her hate me."

"It's okay," she attempted to reassure her. "I know this is hard. I wish we didn't have to do it right now, when you're so weak and still learning to trust us. We just don't have a choice. When Cassie goes back to school, Frank will know these things. Cassie needs to hear it from us."

"I know," Bella agreed.

"Maybe you should lie down. Remus and I can explain this to her. If there's anything you need to say, you can do it after you rest. You shouldn't be under this much stress so soon."

"I—I'd like to stay, if you'll allow me, of course. Cassie has done a lot for me. I'd like to be here to answer her questions. I owe her that much. I know it's not my place to request to stay and if you wish for me to leave, I'll go quietly."

"You're welcome to stay as long as you're feeling up to it," Cassie's father said. "You have a right to be here when Cassie learns the truth. Actually, it might be better for both of you, if you did stay."

"Thank you, sir."

"Remus," he told her.

She nodded.

"Okay, Cassie," her mother resumed the previous conversation. "You know that Bella was a Death Eater that she served Voldemort. You know the terrible things he did. He ordered his followers to do horrible things, too. Do you remember when I told you that Voldemort disappeared for many years and many people believed that he was dead?"

"Yes."

"Well, shortly after he disappeared a rumor reached the Death Eaters that Frank and Alice Longbottom—Neville's parents—knew where he was," her mother took a deep breath and looked sadly at Bella before continuing. "Bella, her husband, and two other Death Eaters attacked the Longbottoms trying to find their lost master. The Longbottoms were tortured to insanity. Bella and the others were sentenced to life in Azkaban."

Uncertain of what to do, Cassie looked to the floor. Next to her, she could hear Bella crying softly.

"Bella spent fifteen years in Azkaban," her mother went on, "before Voldemort returned and freed his followers. Shortly after escaping Azkaban, Bella was involved in a battle. She ended up in a one-on-one duel with our cousin, Sirius; he died in that duel. He was hit with a curse and fell to his death."

Cassie said nothing and was relieved that no one else did either. For a moment, she had been terrified that there would be more. She worried that horrible information would just continue to spill from her mother's lips until she could bear no more.

"Cassie?" her mother eventually asked in a gentle voice.

But she ignored her and turned to Bella, who was still crying.

"Look at me," Cassie snapped.

Without hesitation, Bella lifted her head, showing her tear stained cheeks and terrified eyes, to meet Cassie's stare. For the first time, Cassie could think of nothing comforting to say to her.

"Is it true?"

"Yes," Bella replied weakly, fresh tears streaming down her face.

"That's enough," her mother interrupted them. "Cassie, you need time to process what you just heard. Bella, you need to rest. You should have never been put though this in your condition. I'm sorry we had to do it to you."

When no one responded to her, she rose from her seat and gently helped Bella to her feet. They left the room, Bella's whimpers still audible as they headed down the hall.

Once they were alone, her father joined her on the sofa, wrapping his arms around her. He said nothing, waiting for her to make the first move.

"No wonder you were reluctant to have her here," Cassie said at last. "Sirius was your friend. She killed your friend. She destroyed Frank's grandparents. I would have never believed that she was capable of it, but she admitted it. She looked me in the eyes and told me that it was true. I just don't understand."

"Sweetie, what Bella did was terrible, but you saw her; she regrets what she has done. I was told she didn't even mean to kill Sirius. Being reminded of what she did brought her to tears. She's not the only one who did horrific things during the wars. I did things that I'm not proud of. Things were different then. We did what we had to, in order to keep ourselves and our loved ones alive. It doesn't change who she is now. She's your aunt and she loves you."

"I love her, too," Cassie sighed. "I just don't know if I can look at her the same way."

"You would be saying the same thing about me, if you knew some of my secrets," her father sighed, "or the secrets of anyone else who fought in those wars. If it had been up to me, I would have never told you about that part of Bella's past. It was a war and we all did what we had to. We have to live with it and that should be punishment enough. Your aunt is not the same person she was then. You love the person she is now, and that's all that matters."

"She has been a really good friend to me."

"The Bella you know is the real Bella. The Bella who did those horrible things was a desperate woman with very few choices. She has paid for what she has done. She deserves a second chance, and you gave her one. It would be cruel to take that away from her now."

"I would never do that. I could never turn my back on her," Cassie said quickly. "Her past surprised me, but I still care about her. I guess, now that I have thought about it, and talked to you, I realize that I don't feel differently about her at all. She was fighting a war, trying to stay alive; I can't hold that against you. After all, you lost your best friend and you can forgive."

"Your mum said that you would forgive her."

"Do you think I'm wrong?"

"No, I'm proud of you. You can see the perils of the war more clearly than some people who lived through it."

A smile came to Cassie's face, but than a horrible though crossed her mind. Her smile faded and she felt ill.

"What's wrong?" her father asked.

"I was sharp with her," Cassie said urgently. "She was afraid that I would hate her. What if she thinks I really do hate her? What if she thinks we're going to sell her? I have to talk to her."

"Not right now," her father said, holding her back. "Bella was very upset. It was hard for her to tell you about her past. I assume she hoped you would never know. She needs to rest and recover before discussing it any further. You know how weak she is. If she's scared, your mum will take care of her."

"But I want her to know that I still love her."

"I'm sure she knows that. Bella has been very badly abused. It's hard for her to trust, but she has a strong relationship with you. Even if she's afraid of losing you, she knows deep down that you'll always love her."

"I want to tell her."

"Honey, if you go in there, you'll end up discussing her past. She's not up to that. Your mum will make sure she's all right. Let her rest for awhile and then you can talk about everything."

Grumpily, Cassie nodded.

"Good," he told her with a grin. "Now, how about I take you to Diagon Alley for the afternoon? It'll be fun. Then when we get home, you can tell Bella anything you want."

Again, Cassie nodded, although slightly more enthusiastically. Getting out of the house sounded good to her and spending quality time with her dad sounded more appealing than moping around, waiting to talk to Bella.


	8. Unexpected Events

The word dunderhead kept stubbornly popping into her mind as she graded what were suppose to be college level papers. Grinning, she couldn't help but be reminded of a certain snarky potions master. For the first time, she felt that she could fully identify with his frustration.

Setting the papers aside, Hermione rubbed her eyes and conjured a large pot of coffee. However, she was confident that she would need something stronger than coffee to get her through the pile of papers. Briefly, she wondered how her students had gotten accepted to college in the first place.

Of course, the school's main concentration was potions. The practical work didn't require reading or writing. This was something her students should have been very grateful for.

Sighing, Hermione wondered why she took the job in the first place. Prior to becoming a professor, she had been a very well respected Healer. Her career had been good, but not great. Healing didn't hold the appeal she had expected, nor did teaching.

Nothing in her life had turned out the way she expected. She never planned to move thousands of miles away and lose contact with the people she loved most. War had a funny way of changing one's plans.

She glanced fleetingly at the papers and conceded defeat. After all, it was the weekend. The papers could wait.

Debating how to spend her free afternoon, Hermione was startled by a persistent tapping at her office window. Looking up, she saw a brown barn owl with a piece of parchment attached to its foot.

_That's odd,_ she mused, _I never get mail._

As she pulled the window open the anxious owl sailed into the room and came to rest on her desk, leg extended. Grinning at the efficiency of the bird, Hermione accepted the letter and gave the owl the remainder of her morning toast. Grabbing the toast, the owl quickly flew through the window and onto its next destination.

Returning to her desk, she unfolded the parchment and was met by the familiar script of Remus Lupin. Within seconds any trace of a grin was gone from her face.

Clutching the parchment tightly, she fled from her office. She needed room to pace and she needed to be someplace where she would not be interrupted. She decided on the ingredients room in the basement. None of the staff would be there on the weekend and she very much doubted the students knew it existed.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she was greeted by a large oak door. Forcing the door open, she slipped inside, lighting a candle at the nearest desk. She unfolded the parchment and read the words again to be certain that she had not misunderstood.

_Dear Hermione_

It has been far too long since we have talked. I only wish I was writing to you under more pleasant circumstances.

I never imagined that the after effects of the war would leave such an impact twelve years after the fact. Some wounds have not yet begun to heal and they are growing very destructive.

I have just learned that Harry purchased Bellatrix Lestrange following her training. Very few people seem to have known about it. He has been torturing her all this time. And she has just become my new house guest.

Hermione, I don't know how to explain any of this properly in a letter. Harry is lost. He has never stopped mourning what he lost to the war. Neville is filled with a hatred I never believed possible of him.

I know you have started a new life. I know how far away you are. But I also know that you are the only one who may be able to reach them. Please, think about what I have said.

Love Always  
Remus

Hermione stared at the words, hopelessly trying to make sense of them. She knew Harry's hatred for Bellatrix ran deep, but she could not imagine him torturing her for twelve years. It just wasn't in him. But if it was true, how did she ever end up as Remus' house guest? Remus and Tonks were not the type of people to condone slavery. She could not imagine them purchasing Bellatrix, or anyone else, but how else could she have come into their possession? Remus really could have explained himself better.

And of all the Death Eaters, it would have to be Bellatrix Lestrange. Why couldn't Harry have bought Crabbe or Goyle? Her friends never did make anything simple. If there was a way to make a bad situation worse, they would find it.

Then there was Neville. Remus hadn't even told her what his involvement was. Of course, knowing that Bellatrix was in the middle of whatever was going on, she could guess who Neville's anger was directed at.

But what could she do? She couldn't force Harry and Neville to let go of the past. She hadn't really let go either. In many ways, she still clung to the past, even though she tried to run away from it. Her dismal love life was proof of that.

"What trouble has Potter gotten himself into this time, Ms. Granger?" came a familiar drawl from a dark corner of the basement.

Jumping into the air, she dropped the parchment to the floor. She thought she was alone. Who else would be in the ingredients room on the weekend? Her eyes desperately searched the darkness for the owner of the voice that sounded so very familiar.

A figure stepped out of the corner and into the light causing Hermione to gasp. His skin seemed paler, his body thinner, and his hair greasier, but there was no denying that she was looking into the black eyes of Severus Snape.

"W-what are you doing here?" she stammered.

"It would appear that I'm sorting potions ingredients, Ms. Granger. After all, those are the lowly duties assigned to a slave," he replied without taking his eyes off of her.

"The college bought you?"

"Why else would I be here? The school wanted me for my expertise. I certainly cannot complain; I'm sure many of my previous associates have met far worse fates."

"You should have never been sold. The Ministry knew you weren't loyal to Voldemort. Everyone knows that Dumbledore died at his own wish. And if this stupid school wants your expertise, why do they have you locked in the basement?"

"I see you are as fiery as ever. I must admit, it is refreshing."

A grin crossed her face.

"Are you saying that you missed me, professor?"

An odd glint flashed in Severus' eyes. It was almost sad, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. Severus was not the type of man who showed emotion.

"You would be surprised by the things I miss, Ms. Granger. And you need not call me professor. My teaching days are long over."

"Does that bother you?"

"If I wish to be bothered by something, I am certain that I could find something more consequential. Please, I do not wish to discuss my dismal situation."

"Then what would like to discuss?"

"How about why you're living miles away from all your friends, or why you're wasting your talents on dunderhead students, or why you're lurking in a dark basement, looking terribly upset?"

Hermione knew that she owed him no explanation. He was no longer her professor and held no power of her. If anything, she held power over him. After all, he was a slave, but she could never think of him that way. And for some unexplained reason his presence was a comfort to her. She realized that she wanted to confide in him. Perhaps she missed her old life more than she had been willing to admit.

"I'm not sure why I'm here," she sighed. "I left London to attend collage and become a Healer. A job was offered to me at the hospital here and I accepted. The school recently offered me a position and I thought it was time for a change. Healing never gave me the satisfaction I expected it to, although it appears that teaching will be worse."

"Indeed," Severus agreed, "it is not an easy career choice. However, I can tell you that lurking in damp, dark places doesn't make it any easier. I should know."

"I wanted to be alone."

"And I have spoiled your plans?"

"No, actually I'm glad you're here," she admitted, scooping the letter off the floor. "You can tell me what you make of this."

Severus accepted that parchment. As his eyes scanned the words, his face offered no clues as to what he was thinking. After a few moments, he returned the letter to her.

"A little sparing on the details, wasn't he?"

"That's all you to say," she exclaimed. "Doesn't it surprise you?"

"No, Ms. Granger, it does not surprise me; however, it does sadden me. It was never a secret that I was less than fond of those involved. I hated Potter before he even opened his mouth, thought Longbottom was a moron, and Bellatrix a bitch, but I never wished harm on any of them."

"Do you honestly believe that Harry could torture another human being for twelve years?"

"Your precious Potter has been through a lot. I no longer know what he is capable of and neither do you."

"Do you think I could help them if I went back?"

"I don't know. Lupin seems to believe you can. However, I do not believe that is the question you should be asking yourself. You are not responsible for Potter. It is not up to you to run to his rescue. Ask yourself if you want to go back."

She was silent.

"What if I do want to go back?" she finally asked.

Before Severus could respond the door slammed loudly behind them causing them both to jump. They turned to face the chubby, red-faced headmaster, who looked somewhat like an overgrown tomato. The scowl on his face told them that he would not be leaving quietly.

"I did not spend good money on you to have you giving advice to novice teachers," he growled at Severus. "Get back to work this instant or expect to be punished dearly."

To Hermione's shock, her once snarky professor lowered his head and turned to obey. She never imagined that she would hear someone speak to Severus like that, but it was even more surprising to watch him take it, without even a sarcastic remark.

"Obviously, you wasted good money on him," Hermione snapped. "He is a potions master, one of the finest in the world. Yet, you have him locked away in the basement sorting ingredients. What good is he here? He could be an amazing asset to this school if you would just treat him like a human being."

"He is not a human being," the headmaster stated bluntly. "He is a slave. And you, Ms. Granger, are walking a very thin rope. I have been getting many complaints about you from the students. Why is it that you are marking on a completely different scale than every other member of faculty?"

"Perhaps because I have decided to mark based on merit," she snarled. "Most of these students are barely literate. I neglect to understand how they were even accepted to his school."

"Are you questioning the academic integrity of this school?"

Hermione didn't think it was possible, but that man's face turned even redder. Briefly, she wondered what it would be like if his head exploded, but she quickly forced such foolish thoughts from her mind.

"I suppose I am," she replied with a smirk.

"I no longer believe there is a place for you at this school, Mr. Granger," he said curtly. "Please, collect your belongings. You may pick up your final paycheque in my office."

"Fine," Hermione replied, "but I want Snape as severance pay."

The man's eyes bulged, somehow making him look even more like an overgrown tomato. Evidently, he had not expected such a request.

"Are you daft? He's worth more than your paycheque and severance pay combined."

"Then I will take him in place of my paycheque and severance pay. And to make up for the difference in value, I shall keep quiet about the lack of academic ability within this institution."

The headmaster glowered at her. She knew he did not want to give up his prized slave; but she also knew he would not risk the reputation of the school just to keep him.

"Deal," he growled. "Stop by my office to pick up his papers on you way out."

Hermione nodded as the headmaster stomped from the room, slamming the door behind him. Knowing that she would never have to grade another paper, she felt a certain sense of relief.

"Does this mean I'll be returning to London?" Severus asked her.

A slight smile touched her lips, "I'm afraid so, Severus. But as it is, I find myself rather broke. We'll leave tomorrow, as soon as I visit our new benefactor."

"Benefactor?" he raised his eyebrows.

"Perhaps, that is the wrong word. She has become a good friend to me. I am certain that she will be willing to finance this particular trip. And that's all I have to say on the topic. If I told you more, you wouldn't believe my anyway."


End file.
